Childcare if the caregiver is working

Allowable childcare costs (where the caregiver is working) can be included in the assessment of Temporary Additional Support.

In addition, these costs must be essential to meet the family's daily living needs and could not be readily avoided or varied when the expense was incurred.

The net cost of essential childcare (after the deduction of any childcare or OSCAR subsidy that is payable) up to a maximum of $6 per hour can be included in the assessment of Temporary Additional Support to enable the client or their partner to take part in paid employment.

Allowable childcare costs can be included in Temporary Additional Support where the childcare provider is not a recognised childcare organisation.

You need to consider that if a recognised childcare organisation can be used by the client and would cost less than the childcare provider being used, then a reasonable step could be to change their childcare provider.

For more information see:

• Reasonable steps

SWIFTT will not automatically include childcare costs as allowable costs for Temporary Additional Support.

You should deduct any Childcare or OSCAR Subsidy paid from the childcare cost before manually adding them into the STAWA screen.